A.   Zoning Map: The boundaries of zoning districts are hereby established as shown on a map entitled the "Zoning Map Of The City Of Pocatello, Idaho." The map may be periodically amended and is hereby made a part of this title by reference. Where uncertainty exists regarding a zoning district boundary, an interpretation shall be made in accordance with section 17.02.180 of this title.

   B.    Zoning Districts And Standards: The zoning districts and standards set forth in this title are the development standards and requirements that apply to land located within a specified zoning district. The standards are organized by zoning district and specify the purpose of each zoning district, the uses allowed in each district, and other standards and criteria that apply. Unless otherwise noted, the standards contained in this chapter are declared to be minimum standards. (Ord. 3044, 2020)

   A.   The purpose of residential zoning districts is to promote the orderly development and maintenance of livable, peaceful and attractive neighborhoods where residents can live their home life with a minimum of disturbance and disruption. Residential neighborhoods are to be developed to be pedestrian friendly. Only such uses as may not interfere unreasonably with the enjoyment of normal home activities shall be permitted. Standards are designed to encourage residential development and non-residential development (schools, churches, parks and recreation facilities, daycare centers, neighborhood commercial uses, and other services) that are compatible. Non- residential development is to be at appropriate locations and scale.

      Furthermore, the purpose of residential zoning is to create an environment in which construction of a full range of owner occupied and rental housing at affordable prices is encouraged. This can be accomplished by providing residential zoning districts of varying densities, encouraging innovative design, and providing reasonable development standards to encourage construction of affordable housing.

   B.   The purpose of the commercial and mixed use zoning districts is to provide a range of commercial services for community residents. Commercial and mixed use zoning districts are intended to promote the availability of a full range of retail and office uses that are available throughout the city, so that residents can fulfill all or most of their needs within easy driving, walking and/or biking distance of their homes. The location of each commercial district shall be carefully selected, and designed according to development standards created to minimize the potential adverse impacts of commercial activity on established residential areas. Mixed use areas are intended to include residential, commercial and institutional activities, and may be located in new and redeveloping commercial areas and near residential districts where appropriate. A further purpose of these regulations is to promote a full range of economic activities and job opportunities within the city limits, in compliance with the economic goals of the comprehensive plan.

   C.   The purpose of the industrial districts is to designate areas where a range of industrial services and employment for city residents are permitted. The regulations governing development in industrial and employment zoning districts are to ensure that a full range of job opportunities is available throughout the city so that residents can work close to home if they choose. Design guidelines and development standards are established to minimize the potential adverse impacts of industrial activity on residential areas. A further purpose of these regulations is to ensure that there is a full range of economic activities and job opportunities within the city limits, in compliance with the economic development goals of the comprehensive plan. (Ord. 3044, 2020)

   A.   Residential Estate District (RE): The RE zoning district is designed primarily to accommodate detached single-family dwellings with or without accessory dwelling units. Open space, park lands, and neighborhood recreation areas are encouraged. Some civic and institutional uses are also conditionally permitted.

   B.   Residential Low Density District (RL): The RL zoning district is designed to accommodate single-family dwellings and a mix of other housing types such as accessory dwellings, townhomes, and two-family dwellings. Neighborhood park and recreation areas are encouraged. Some civic and institutional uses are also conditionally permitted.

   C.   Residential Medium Density Single-Family District (RMS): The RMS zoning district is designed to accommodate single-family dwellings, and a mix of other housing types such as accessory dwellings, townhomes, and two-family dwellings. Development standards for this zoning district promote pedestrian travel to a variety of neighborhood services within close proximity. Neighborhood park and recreation areas are encouraged. Some civic and institutional uses are also conditionally permitted.

   D.   Residential Medium Density Multi-Family District (RMM): The RMM zoning district is designed to accommodate a mix of housing types including single-family dwellings, townhomes, two-family dwellings, multi-family dwelling units (apartments), condominiums and accessory dwellings. Development standards for this zoning district promote pedestrian travel to a variety of neighborhood services within close proximity. Neighborhood park and recreation areas are encouraged. Some civic, institutional and neighborhood commercial uses are also conditionally permitted.

   E.   Residential High Density District (RH): The RH zoning district is designed to accommodate a variety of housing types including single-family dwellings, two-family dwellings, accessory dwellings, multi-family dwelling units (apartments), townhomes, and condominiums. Development standards for this zoning district promote pedestrian travel to a variety of neighborhood services within close proximity. Neighborhood park and recreation areas are encouraged. A limited amount of neighborhood commercial, civic, and institutional uses are permitted outright. Other civic and institutional uses also are conditionally permitted.

   F.   Residential/Commercial/Professional District (RCP): The RCP zoning district is intended to accommodate a mix of residential, professional office, and neighborhood commercial uses including business/professional services, convenience retail, personal services, and restaurants, in close proximity to residential areas and major transportation facilities. Residential uses are permitted consistent with the density and requirements of the RH zoning district. Heliports, medical centers, and some utilities are conditionally permitted. Developments in the RCP zoning district may be used to serve as a buffer between residential areas and commercial and/or industrial areas.

   G.   Commercial General District (CG): The CG zoning district is designed to accommodate a full range of retail, office and civic uses with a citywide and/or regional trade area. Residential uses are permitted provided that buildings maintain ground floor commercial storefronts. A wide range of higher intensity uses, including, but not limited to, self-service storage, utilities, heliports, and major event entertainment, are conditionally permitted.

   H.   Central Commercial District (CC): The CC zoning district is designed to provide a concentrated central business district, centered in the city's historic downtown, including a mix of civic, retail, and office uses. Residential uses are permitted provided buildings maintain ground floor commercial storefronts. A wide range of uses, including, but not limited to, facilities with drive-up windows, major event entertainment facilities, and gasoline stations, are conditionally permitted. Some properties in this zoning district are further subject to the standards of the historic preservation overlay (see section 17.04.210 of this title).

   I.   Office Park District (OP): The OP zoning district provides appropriate locations for combining light industrial, office, business, research and development activities, and secondary small scale commercial uses that serve the employees and businesses in the office park zone, e.g., hotels, restaurants, daycare, personal services and fitness centers, in a campus like setting. Only those light industrial uses with no off-site impacts, e.g., noise, glare, odor, vibration, are permitted in the OP zoning district. In addition to mandatory site development review, design and development standards in the OP zoning district have been adopted to ensure that developments will be well integrated, attractively landscaped, and promote pedestrian travel.

   J.   Light Industrial District (LI): The LI zoning district provides appropriate locations for general industrial uses including industrial service, light industrial production, research and development, warehousing and freight movement, and wholesale sales activities with minimal impacts on neighboring properties due to nuisance characteristics such as noise, glare, odor, and vibration.

   K.   Industrial District (I): The I zoning district provides appropriate locations for intensive industrial uses including industrial service, manufacturing and production, warehousing and freight movement, railroad yards, waste related, and wholesale sales activities. Activities in the I district include those which involve the use of raw materials, require significant outdoor storage and generate heavy truck and/or rail traffic. Because of these characteristics, industrially zoned property should be carefully located to minimize impacts on established residential, commercial, and light industrial areas. (Ord. 3044, 2020)

Special base zoning districts are those zoning districts that have a unique application in the community and are associated with land and facilities that are in a fixed location. The purpose of each special base zoning district is usually tied to a master plan for a facility or property. (Ord. 3044, 2020)

   A.   Purpose: The airport district (A) is established to provide for the aesthetic enhancement and orderly development and maintenance of uses within the city of Pocatello's regional airport and the surrounding area. The development of such properties will address the following goals:

      1.   Create an aesthetically attractive business environment.

      2.   Provide a mix of land uses that offer a variety of services for airport visitors, corporate and business offices, and the general public.

      3.   Promote the Pocatello Regional Airport as a regional aviation center.

   B.   Master Plan: The currently adopted airport master plan (for lands not governed by FAA regulations) is the document that governs and directs the improvement and growth of the physical airport. The type of uses proposed shall be reviewed and approved by the airport committee, and processed as set forth under the adopted master plan. (Ord. 3044, 2020)

   A.   Purpose: The purpose of the Public Lands/Facilities District is to satisfy general public needs by reserving land to accommodate public utilities, facilities, resource protection areas, and/or other public infrastructure deemed to be of local, regional, state, or national importance.

   B.   Permitted Land Uses: Permitted uses include, but are not limited to, public uses, agriculture/horticulture, cemeteries, detention facilities, heliports, and wireless communication facilities.

   C.   Review Procedures: As a result of the potentially large size and unique operational characteristics of certain public facilities and their attendant impacts on other property and the natural environment, all site development proposals shall require specific approval from the city council after public hearing, review, and recommendation from the planning and zoning commission. Notices and public hearing procedures shall be as outlined in section 17.02.300, "Decision Making Procedures/Public Hearings," of this title.

   D.   Standards: All uses within this district shall be designed and built in a manner so as to minimize any dangerous, injurious, noxious, or otherwise objectionable fire, explosive, radioactive or other hazardous condition; noise or vibration; smoke, dust, odor or other form of air pollution; electrical or other disturbance; glare or heat; liquid or solid refuse or wastes; or other substances, conditions or elements in a manner or amount as to adversely affect the surrounding area. (Ord. 3044, 2020)

   A.   Zoning Map Designation: The University District is defined as those lands depicted as such on the zoning map, encompassing properties either owned by or under the control of Idaho State University and/or comprising the university's campus at the time this title was adopted.

   B.   Development Plan: Land use on the campus of Idaho State University is governed by state law and the university's development plan. All development is approved, permitted, and regulated by state authority and is to be in accordance with the overall campus development plan, which shall be submitted for city review and comment upon initial creation and/or amendment.

   C.   Development Review: All development proposals shall be reviewed by the city's site plan review committee. Comments and recommendations shall be forwarded to university officials for consideration. If, in the determination of the city, the proposal is deemed detrimental to the public's health, safety, and welfare, or if the development and its implementation will have adverse impacts on existing or planned public facilities of the city, then the city may refuse to provide city services to said facilities and/or pursue any other remedy provided by law.

   D.   Changes To Zoning Map Designations: If Idaho State University relinquishes ownership of property to another owner then the special base zoning district designation, University, becomes immediately null and void. After such nullification the property shall be assigned an appropriate zoning district designation, after hearing in accordance with the hearing process for rezoning requests as outlined in section 17.02.300, "Decision Making Procedures/Public Hearings," of this title and in accordance with the goals and policies of the comprehensive plan and the provisions of this title. (Ord. 3044, 2020)

   A.   Types Of Uses: For the purposes of this chapter, there are four (4) kinds of uses:

      1.   A permitted use (P) is one that is permitted outright, but subject to all of the applicable provisions of this title. If a use is not listed as a permitted use, it may be held to be a similar unlisted use under the provisions of section 17.01.160, "Use Classifications," of this title.

      2.   A restricted use (R) is permitted outright only when in compliance with special requirements, exceptions, or restrictions, in addition to the applicable provisions of this title.

      3.   A conditional use (C) is permitted only upon approval by the hearing body. The approval process and criteria are set forth in sections 17.02.300, "Decision Making Procedures/Public Hearings," and 17.02.130, "Conditional Use Permits (CUP)," of this title. A use not listed as a conditional use may be held to be a similar use under the provisions of section 17.01.160, "Use Classifications," of this title.

      4.   A nonpermitted use (N) is a use that is not permitted in the specified zoning district under any circumstances.

   B.   Use Table: A list of permitted, restricted, conditional and nonpermitted uses in all zoning districts is presented in Table 17.03.500, Use Table, of this section.

 

(Ord. 3155, 2025: Ord. 3132, 2023: Ord. 3115 § 3, 2023: Ord. 3075, 2021: Ord. 3064, 2021: Ord. 3044, 2020)

   A.   Dimensional Standards: A list of dimensional requirements including setbacks, height limitations, minimum lot size, and minimum landscaping is presented in Table 17.03.600, Dimensional Standards Table, of this section.

   B.   Administrative Adjustment: The director, or designee, may approve the modification of a setback, building height, minimum lot size, minimum landscaping, or building footprint size standards of this title by up to ten percent (10%) subject to the following requirements:

      1.   The applicant must provide a written description of the requested adjustment detailing how the modification will not create any adverse impacts, which will negatively impact the public health, safety and welfare, on a form provided by planning and development services. The form shall clearly describe the nature of the proposed adjustment request and describe any anticipated impacts.

      2.   If the applicant fails to obtain the required administrative adjustment they may, at their own discretion, submit a variance application pursuant to section 17.02.160.

   TABLE 17.03.600

 

(Ord. 3155, 2025: Ord. 3132, 2023: Ord. 3115 § 3, 2023: Ord. 3081, 2021: Ord. 3044, 2020)